How to Add a Skimmer to an Above-Ground Pool

Skimmers help keep the surface of your above-ground pool free from leaves, sticks, bugs and other debris. Before you add a skimmer, you must be sure that the liner is set correctly and the pool is level. To do this, fill the pool so the water level is about 4 inches lower than where the skimmer will be. Measure from the pool's top edge to the water level in several areas around the pool. These measurements should all be within 1 inch of each other. Make any necessary adjustments before you begin this project, or the pool's liner will be ruined.

Utility knife
Phillips (cross-head) screwdriver

Instructions

- 1
  Hold the skimmer face plate against the above-ground pool's sidewall. Poke a hole in the sidewall through the face plate's corner screw holes with a utility knife.
- 2
  Place one supplied screw through each of the face plate's corner screw holes. Position the face plate against the pool wall on the inside, pushing the screws through the holes you poked in the sidewall.
- 3
  Put the supplied gasket around the skimmer. Line up the skimmer's screw holes with the screws protruding through the pool's sidewall. Tighten the screws with a Phillips screwdriver, just enough to hold the skimmer in place. Poke holes through the face plate's bottom two corner screw holes. Fit a supplied screw through each screw hole and partially tighten them.
- 4
  Check the skimmer's gasket and adjust as needed. Finish installing the remaining supplied screws and tighten all the screws to hold the skimmer in place.
- 5
  Remove the piece of sidewall covering the skimmer's opening from inside the pool with a utility knife. Use the face plate as a straight edge.
- 6
  Line up the skimmer basket's lip with the mounting tabs on the face plate. Lower the basket until it hooks onto the tabs.

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